Automatic test equipment (ATE), in which integrated circuits are checked in respect of correct functioning thereof, substantially consists of a measuring device, for example a network analyzer, a so-called loadboard which constitutes a printed circuit board as an application-specific interface between the universally usable measuring device and the integrated circuit as an application-specific device under test (DUT), and an automatic handling machine which inserts the integrated circuit into a test base which is mounted on the loadboard, presses it onto the test base and removes it again.
For complete and correct testing of the integrated circuit, the test base has a specific number of contact pins which are typically respectively arranged in two or four rows and which each form an optimum electrical connection between a contact area of the integrated circuit to be tested—referred to as the first contact area in the text which follows—and an associated contact area which is located on the test base—referred to as the second contact area in the text which follows.
EP 0 906 007 B1 discloses a contact pin of this kind which connects the contact area of an integrated circuit to be surveyed to the contact area of the test base.
A contact pin of this kind has two elastic regions with which two electrical connections between the contact pin and in each case one of the two contact areas can be achieved, in each case independently of one another.
Since the contact areas of integrated circuits are produced from tin or other conductive contact materials, layers can disadvantageously form on these contact areas owing to, for example, oxidation over time, said layers impairing the electrical contact between the contact area and the associated contact region of the contact pin. Owing to a frictional movement of the two contact regions of the contact pin, which frictional movement runs parallel in relation to the contact areas in each case and occurs when the device under test to be tested is inserted into the test base, particles are removed from these, for example, tin oxide layers and therefore electrical contact is re-established or improved in each case.
However, the contact pin of EP 0 906 007 B1 disadvantageously has a comparatively large physical extent. In the context of increasing miniaturization of integrated circuits, a contact pin of this kind is not suitable.